Time of Darkness
by Ibilis
Summary: Follow a Inquisitor through the troubled time of witchcraft. Confronted with reality and paranormal he has to save the county of Scoenbourg as the whole world will fall into darkness if he can t stop evil from spreading through the mind of man.
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

_When fire burns your skin and when ice is freezing your nerves you know that you are alive but what are you when you don't feel anything anymore?_

It was a dark night and thunder broke the sky like scars. Even though the peasants would normally stay at home in such a night and pray to their god, they now stood on the marketplace. Fearfully and disgusted some of them were holding torches to enlighten the scenery offering to them; others were holding their kids close so that they couldn't see what was going on. The eldest was standing in front of everybody, shivering, not because of the cold… no… it was because of the fear which was growing inside of him, slowly… like a snake entering the mist and working his way through to find the mouse hiding in it.

What has frightened them so much and what took them out of their secured homes was the tree in the middle of their village. The tree was a holy place for the villagers but now it was a symbol of fear and death as six children of the village were pinned on that holy tree. Blood was flowing down to the ground, creating black puddles that seemed to absorb the light of the bluish moon in the sky. On each forehead of the dead bodies were engraved old runes of unknown magic force. « Burn it » said the eldest with a shaking voice and the people threw, without hesitation, their torches to the bottom of the tree.

As the fire grew higher the old wood ached like screams of thousands souls, it was than when the child in the middle, nailed to the tree, opened his eyes. It looked at the villagers with his red burning eyes and screamed in a inhuman voice « No one shall live no one shall die, I will come back as time goes by! » The villagers screamed out of fear and the children began to cry.

« We have to call for help. » said a man next to the eldest, « Yes I know, but when they will come we will all be dead… » said the eldest slowly and turned his eyes away from the fire.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

_Darkness… How sweet it tastes, how wonderful it is to see and how silent it is when you scream for salvation._

* * *

This is not only a book or diary, but a memoriam to all these that have passed away the days when hell opened its gates. These are my memories but also our darkest dreams, our deepest fears…

I wrote the story, like I would revive it, as each time I continued to complete the story I saw everything again and again like in a bad dream. I hope it will also bring you, the reader closer to the fact that what happened was not only something that happened to someone but that you can feel like I felt see what I saw and understand what I did in order to survive and save the people of Scoenbuc.

We wrote the twenty-fifth of October 1459 it was a dark year and later on known as the years of the witches. I was ordered that time by Pope Adrian VI to investigate dark magic in the county of Scoenburc, in a little village called "Hoff". It was a little county which reigned over the valley of Bauna in Germany. Not only the rumor of dark magic circulated in the country in these parts but also the mysterious death of the count Adolf VIII who left without any children to follow him. His death apparently pushed his wife Margarete von Höllenstein to jump of the highest tower screaming "My soul will be free and my soul should go to my never given children" So the country was shaken by these horrifying events and the flame of hope was never so dark in these times than ever before. But let me begin with my report…

I arrived in Scoenburc and even though it was 12 o'clock dark clouds were hanging over the country creating a depressing darkness that pushed my adventure mood back in a dark corner of my mind where it had stayed since my application to the monastery. I rode over an old bridge and I was able to see the castle that was built on the mountain overlooking the surroundings that was covered by snow like a cloth of thik silk. Even though I was only able to see it from afar it made me want to turn around and ride back to my sunny Italy. Like a cold crown it reached for the dark sky. But what completed the feeling that something dark lured in these parts was the fact that a big group of birds turned over the castle as it was waiting for something to happen, something that would keep them fed as if nothing else has remained from their old hunting grounds. It was in that moment that I realized that since hours I haven't seen an animal. Neither a rabbit nor a little mouse had passed the road to get to safety from the talons of a horse or from a hungry fox. I did believe in dark magic and this strengthened the feeling that something was wrong and I hoped God would protect me, as I feared that this country seemed to hide an unknown evil. Even though I was never real confronted with any cultic ritual or witchcraft. My first encounter with an extraordinary phenomenon was not so long ago but as it seemed a bit of human brain was enough to resolve that matter…

* * *

_It was the time I got my first assignment 2 years ago. My Master, Inquisitor Leonir, an old person around his fifties with a scar of unknown origin through his face, took me to Sienna. It was when we entered the territory of a Villa in the outskirts of Sienna that I had the same feeling feeling. The closer we rode together to this Villa that the feeling grew that something was wrong. Before we entered the Villa Leonir recited different passages from the bible than turned to me and said in his usual cold voice: "Boy what ever will happen, never look into the eyes of the possessed. It s a window to your soul! And believe in god if you like" without further interest in me he knocked on the door. We heard that a key was used in the door and a voice echoed from the inside "who is there?" it was an old tired voice of a woman "Its Lord Leonir, Inquisitor of the holy church and his novice. We hare here for the exorcism on" "Shhh…" she shushed in fear "don't speak his name!" she opened the door to let us in. As we walked in nothing would possibly point out of some kind evil spirit. All seemed quiet. But a cold wind of fear broke through the house giving me goosebumps. She led us through the kitchen into a small room. In front of us was a old door covered by holy symbols and crosses as it was some kind of religious collection. As we slowly walked towards the door the old woman stayed in the kitchen as if an invisible wall was keeping her at bay. "Why are you not following us?" was my first question when I saw her standing behind us keeping her hands petrified in unease. "I will not get any closer to this doomed door" she whispered and disappeared in the house. "Follow me, novice" spoke Leonir and he opened the door. A darkness of pure evil flowed out of the room. Walking up the walls creeping over our heads grabbing for us. Tearing us into the room of death. As I later found out it was the old candles smoke that came out of the room and our vision was blurred by the strong light of that sunny day. And the man we had to exorcise was a mad man disturbed by the death of his little daughter. But even though I had never felt this fear of being so close to the devil himself that I still believed into the pure evil in this world. This feeling of death must mean something, must mean that such evil like demons must exist. And here again I feel confronted with this agony of liquefied fear pouring through my veins._

* * *

When I arrived in the village the people ran to me and fell on their knees as if I was an angel who came to rescue them, screaming "Oh Lord please help us! Oh my Lord pray for God that he will save our souls!" they must have realized my ring on my hand with the insignia that made me an envoy of the pope and marked me as an Inquisitor. But instead of respecting my status they suddenly tried to take over and get me of my horse. More and more people gathered around my horse like a pack of mindless wolfs. Grabbing my coat with their dirty hands. In fear and to protect myself from these primitive folk out of control I pulled my crossbow out of the side bag and hold it into the mass of people who retreated in fear of being the one hit by my crossbow. But I was wrong it was not my crossbow that scared them off but the group of soldiers that appeared behind me "My Lord, we are quite annoyed that something like that happened to you. But the people are scared and they try everything to survive. Please follow me I will lead you to the castle." Turned to the fearful crowd he shouted in anger "Now get out of this place before I will refuse protection when the night comes! Get these food rations to the castle NOW!" As he turned around; four soldiers flanked me and led me up to the dark, old castle. Which made clear that my savior must be the captain of the guard.

When we passed the gate I saw that the doorway was heavily barricaded and a lot of blood traces could be seen in the mud. A foul odor disturbed my senses, it was a smell of burned, rotten flesh and dried blood. When I looked on the left I was able to see how people burned dead corpses of which all the heads had been removed. "We have arrived." Said the captain "Please follow me, I am the one in charge here until a new count has been found" I followed him as he walked fast through a strong wooden door. I followed him as best as I could. He was around thirty-two and looked as he had fought in many battles and had seen a lot of awful things. A long scar crosses his face from left to right. It made him look scary but his eyes and expression made up for that and one had the feeling one could trust him. He led me through dark corridors and empty rooms. Everywhere were barricades as if the castle was on siege. When we arrived in the throne room he sat down on a chair and looked to the nearly empty cold walls. The throne room was sure beautiful a long time ago but now the decorations were rusty and darkened from time. The candleholders left their marks through the ages by darkening the walls. "Well as you can see the county is on the edge of ruin…" said the captain with a sad and tired voice "But the most fearsome is that it is not only our county who is danger but the whole world if the evil will not be stopped here. That's why we send a request to the holy church to help us" "But how can you be sure that the ruin of this county is in connection with evil spirits? And the downfall of human kind?" asked I and looked into the dark empty eyes of the captain "As you could have seen, the bodies have to be decapitated and burned. Children disappear and everyday is like a night. No sun since the death of the count Adolf. We are doomed and we can't escape, nor will you. The borders are filled with unholy creatures keeping us here." Said the captain with a low gloomy voice that made me feel uncertain and I thought at that moment that he would tell me Satan in person had descended on earth. "I'm here now to look into the matter… We'll see if there is a connection with evil spirits or not. We are all God's creatures and we don't know God's ways." I tried to reassure him but my voice quivered. Frankly I felt rather unsure for that matter and uneasy. He scrutinized me, looked at me from head to toe, probably asking himself if I was the right person for this task. I gazed back at him, trying to show no fear and look like a person with trust in god. "But now you should rest if you can… A servant will show you your rooms. Tomorrow we shall speak again. And I have a surprise for you" without any other words he clapped his hands and a servant emerged ghostlike from the door on the left of the huge fireplace and led me away from the captain who stared at the walls, lost in his thoughts. It was a young boy who led me through more dark rooms filled with barricades and weapons. His red hair was a colorful change in this dark place. His clothing was quite old and looked like he was not the first owner of it and the person who it belonged to must have been twice as big as the boy was.

Lost in my own thoughts full of questions I didn't realized how long we marched through the castle until I stood in front of a door "Here are you quarters my Lord, your packages have already been brought inside" said the young servant as he opened the door. "You should let the windows closed and lock the door behind me my Lord. At night nobody is safe..." But before I could ask any more questions he already disappeared in the endless corridors of the maze like castle. The room I was given was large and my luggage stood right in the middle. As the rest of the castle everything was old and cold. At least there was a bed. Once it must have been heavily decorated but all wooden decoration had been broken of, apparently for firing or building the barricades. At least the bed had fresh linen. I was lucky. I sensed lavender and something else what I couldn't define. I hang up my long black leather coat and laid my crossbow on the table. As I opened my leather bags I took out some holy water, my sword and my silver cross that had been given to me by my tutor. All of these things have their own stories and legends to tell. When I had everything packed into the suitcase, which stood near the fireplace, I went over to the window. It was heavily sealed with thick wooden planks and only through a gap I was able to see outside. The town folks were entering the courtyard and building shelters.

The soldiers handed out weapons to some peasants and when the last one had entered the castle they closed the heavy doors and locked it with steel bars and torches were ignited. Walking back to the middle of the room I suddenly felt how tired I was. My bones ached from the long ride and that an urgent matter pushed me to search for the toilet. By searching the room I found a hidden door behind which the toilet was hidden. Surprised by the fact that even the toilet was barricaded, where I also recognized some parts of my new bed. I used the clay pot that stood right in the corner. At least relived I realized that food was standing on a table next to the door presented in a little plate. Suddenly the door opened and the boy entered the room without former excuse: "My Lord, here is your dinner and a basin with fresh water… If you need anything, please ask now. Your horse has been looked after and is safely guarded. The doors of the castle are bolted now. I hope to see you tomorrow so God will. Please as I told you before bolt the door to your room, my Lord, after me leaving. It's not safe even in the castle." I thanked him and he left as silently as he had come. After taking the much-needed food to me I fell on my bed where sleep came instantly and I walked the path for a dark and agitated dream…


End file.
